On The Brink Of Being 40!!!

Just a few weeks away and I will be officially 40! Now, that's some kind of an achievement. But honestly, I am really looking forward to hitting the big Four Oww, you know, like eagerly awaiting and anticipating for your 18th birthday even when there won't be a debut party anyway! :))

Frankly, now that I'm just about to hit the big 40 I start to think back and do a little backtrack on the years and days of my seemingly ordinary existence. Ordinary because I felt there was not too much drama in it, not much frills but nevertheless overflowing with happy as well as sad moments. I surely have not amassed wealth all these years but then again I have sooo much to be thankful for, FAMILY, RELATIVES, FRIENDS AND MORE FRIENDS!! Well, I always try to abide by such values, to be endlessly GRATEFUL!!!

But then again, now that I'm about to reach 40 I have become more conscious of so much more and that includes, hold your breath, ANTI-AGING ESSENTIALS, THE IMPORTANCE OF SUNBLOCKS AND SUNSCREENS, AND YES, OF COURSE, THE IMPORTANCE OF STAYING FIT AND EXERCISE!!! Whew, BEST OF LUCK to me then!!! 

A Hospital Stay Could Feel Like Holiday!!!

Being sick and staying in a hospital can be a traumatic experience for most of us especially for kids, knowing their restless and precocious nature. However, it cannot be avoided altogether and personally experiencing it when the kids were younger can really be horrible and totally exhausting.

The good part here is that, staying in a hospital nowadays is already synonymous to staying in a hotel for that matter. Since we were given the opportunity to avail of quality medical care, thanks to my hubby's employer, our sick son was entitled to comfortable bed linens as well as quality hospital supplies and toiletries. This, together with the topnotch medical attention given by doctors have helped a great deal in the speedy recovery from sickness.

So who says staying in a hospital can be really dull and troublesome? It could actually feel like a holiday or a kind of vacation for that matter! So, next time you're admitted in the hospital, just think of  it as a fun way to get well!!

IT'S SUMMERTIME!!

School has officially ended as of  today and just about the right time to head off to, where else but...the BEACH!!! Good thing our place is in close proximity to the sea as we live just a few kilometers away from what makes part of Davao Gulf. In fact, most of my growing up years always included a couple of trips to the beach during summer and something that me and my sister always look forward to!!

Now that I am already a mom, tagging the kids along to the beach has become somewhat of a ritual and frankly, even as we can only manage a few strokes to live by, a trip to the beach is always something to look forward to. But more importantly, I know it will be good for everyone to just relish the sea water because of the health benefits it does to the body.

You heard it right,  sea water has been proven to be a cure to skin and ear infections. It has also been proven to relieve bronchitis, too! In fact, as long as I can remember, my granny and mom would always tag us along to the beach every time there is a cough attack in the household!! Sea water has also been proven to be beneficial to the skin for its cleansing effect.

And so! since it is now officially summer it is but high time to troop to the beach!! Come high or low tide I am sure everyone will enjoy it, not only for the refreshing and uplifting feeling it brings but also for the health wonders it does towards over-all wellness! As Dorie of the "Finding Nemo" flick famously said(or sung for that matter), "Just Keep Swimming, Just Keep Swimming!! 

ENJOY YOUR SUMMER, EVERYONE!!!

Be Fit And Trim In Time For The Holidays!!

The holiday season is just around the corner and in fact, here in the Philippines it has already kicked off! Truth to tell, once the "ber" months start rolling out expect the Christmas Spirit to start settling in. But before we get carried away with the holiday cheer let me share my thoughts about fitness and staying trim.

I am a few pounds overweight myself and I try my best not to add a few more pounds by staying active.  My usual exercise regimen includes biking, walking and stationary jogging but what I love most to sweat it out and shed calories is dancing. This is because you can do a combination of aerobics, modern dance and stretching. When I heard about Hip Hop Abs I got really excited and got dvd copies of Shaun T's hiphop abs workout routines. Take a look at this:

If you love dancing especially hip hop then this is a great fitness workout for you! On the other hand, if you want to mix it with something really fantastic then check out Zumba workouts. I just discovered it lately and wow, I just love it! Very graceful movements, with a combination of belly dancing but all in all a truly enjoyable experience! Take a peek at this zumba video:

So guys, what are you waiting for! Try out these fitness routines and workouts, NOW! This will ensure that you will be fit and trim in time for the holidays. Need a bit of  motivation? Get that slinky, body-hugging cocktail dress you've been dying to wear to your X'mas party and hang it in a strategic location in your room! There, that would get you motivated to sweat it out and sweat it good!! Goodluck guys! :)

Guyabano/Labana: A Wonder Fruit!

I have come to a point in my life wherein organic and natural remedies to illnesses play a very big role. Take guyabano (we locally refer to it as labana) for instance. All through my growing up years I so take it for granted despite its abundance in our local community. I do know one thing though, I love to drink guyabano shake way back when I was a toddler.

Now that I am pushing 40 I have discovered that this oh so common backyard plant yields many wonders. For one, it has been known to kill cancer cells and alleviate a lot of common woes such as stomach ache, vomiting, diarrhea and arthritis. While the fruit itself is very potent, leaves also have healing properties as well as young shoots, crushed seeds and even its sap.

And while guyabano shake has been my all-time favorite I have, these past few months, also regularly drinking tea extracted from young guyabano leaves. This after recently discovering that I have cervical polyps. I decided to forego taking hormone therapy pills and opted to try the natural way. So far so good, I did not experience any further discomforts although I still experience abnormal bleeding every once in a while. Moreover, I have to agree that the fruit extracts has anti-depressive effects because it seems my moods have improved radically. I tend to feel more happy and in a more cheerful mood these days. :)))

So guys, the next time you see guyabano around why not try it!! Think healthy!!:))

Daydreaming On A Rainy Day!

It's now June here in Davao,Philippines and time to gear up for the rains, typhoons and yes, floods! The rain was considerably hard and continuous the other day and with the kids in school and hubby off to work I was left all alone at home. I tried to distract myself from dozing off with a book but to no avail. So, what I did was stare out of the window lost in a time travel of sorts.

Ah, travelling!It's one of my lifetime dreams to travel to foreign lands, explore new cultures and absorb some learnings along the way. Places like Paris, France, Australia and yes, New Zealand!I've only heard of these places from books but experiencing it first-hand would really be a blast! Hmm, no harm in contacting a New Zealand travel agent to arrange a grand trip sometime soon!

Geez, see what a really rainy day can do for me! But no harm in daydreaming don't you think? Who knows, I might just wake up one morning to find out that I won a super duper grand vacation to New Zealand and beyond!!!

The Harried Life Of A Full-time Mom

I cannot agree more when they say that being a mother and housewife is a life-long career and profession that needs extraordinary grit and passion. I am not much of the complaining type but when I became a mother all I ever did was think about what decent meal to fix next for my kiddos and hubby, house chores and more house chores. I am not much of the domestic type either, having spent a good 10 years or more of my single life trying to make a career as an office girl.

And so since my constant thoughts wander from cleaning the house to doing the laundry and of course taking care of the kids it leaves me with very little time to think of other things such as taxes and my, does it really get me stressed up! Good thing I never have to worry that much about it these days thanks to companies that take care of our tax extension. It really takes the thorns out of my mind and allows me enough time to handle other family responsibilities.

What can I say, being pressured and harassed seems to be my most favorite words these past few years but it's a well-deserved choice,too! And yes, my family is my world, so bring it on!!:))